Contractor licensing in California
What the state requires, which trades are treated differently, and what you will be asked for whatever the answer is.
Any job where labor and materials together come to $500 or more needs a CSLB license. Classifications are A (engineering), B (general building) and the C-series specialties; each is a separate exam, and a bond is required.
4 trades are treated differently and have their own page below.
Last verified 2026-09-27 · Contractors State License Board
A B license does not let somebody re-roof a house on its own. California ties scope to the classification letter, so “licensed” is only half the question — the other half is licensed for what.
Trades with their own rules
Everything else
These 25 trades fall under California's general position above — state license required. There is no separate rule for any of them, which is why there is no separate page.
- Siding
- Windows / Doors
- Gutters
- Soffit / Fascia
- Coping
- Masonry / Brick
- Solar
- Framing
- Concrete
- Foundation
- Excavation / Grading
- Demolition
- Insulation
- Drywall / Sheetrock
- Painting
- Flooring / Carpet
- Tile / Stone
- Cabinets / Countertops
- Finish Carpentry
- Deck / Fence
- Hardscaping
- Landscaping
- Garage Doors
- Water / Fire Restoration
- Final Clean
Checking a license
What you will be asked for anyway
No state requirement does not mean no paperwork. Every hiring contractor and property manager worth working for asks for the same four things before anybody starts, and asks again every time one expires.
- 1
Certificate of insuranceGeneral liability, naming them as additional insured.
- 2
Surety bondOften required by cities that register your trade, and by plenty of hiring contractors regardless.
- 3
Signed subcontractor agreementTheirs, not yours. Scope, payment terms, and who carries what.
- 4
W-9So they can 1099 you. It carries your TIN, so it is the one to be careful with.
Your compliance pack, sent in one link.
Keep them in one place and answer the next contractor who asks in about six seconds — with a page showing your carrier, policy number, cover and expiry, that updates itself when you renew. Free, and whoever you send it to needs no account.
Set up your compliance packCheck the certificate before they start.
California registers contractors, so a license number can be looked up. What you can always check is the insurance, the bond, and whether either has lapsed since the day it was emailed to you. That last part is where it usually goes wrong: a PDF attached in March says nothing about July.
Keep a roster currentCities that add their own rules
Where the state is quiet, municipalities fill the gap, and they do not agree with each other. If you work across a metro you are dealing with several sets at once.
- Los Angeles
- San Francisco
- San Diego